New data reveals that the intake of international students in the 2021/22 academic year contributed a huge £41.9 billion to the UK economy.
- New figures show economic benefit of international students rose from £31.3bn to £41.9bn between 2018/19 and 2021/22
- International students in Glasgow, London, Sheffield, Nottingham and Newcastle are among those to deliver the greatest financial contributions
- On average, each of the 650 parliamentary constituencies in the UK is £58m (per constituency) better off because of international students – equivalent to approximately £560 per citizen
- Even when accounting for dependants and other costs international students are a huge net contributor to the UK economy
- Every 11 non-EU students generates £1m worth of net economic impact for the UK economy
Today’s report, The costs and benefits of international higher education students to the UK, published by Universities UK International (UUKi), the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and Kaplan International Pathways in collaboration with London Economics, reveals the growing importance of international students to local economies throughout the UK.
The report, which was commissioned to explore the impact of international students to the UK economy, reveals economic benefits have risen from £31.3bn to £41.9bn between 2018/19 to 2021/22, an increase of 34%. The data also confirm that – even when accounting for the impact on public services (estimated at £4.4 bn) – the economic benefits of hosting international students significantly outweigh the costs with a total net benefit of £37.4bn to the UK economy.
The net economic impact of international students has seen a dramatic rise over the past few years – up 58% since 2015/16, (£23.6bn to £37.4bn). One reason for this is the 68% rise in the number of students (now standing at 350,145) from non-EU countries since 2018/19. Data from the report indicate that every 11 non-EU students generate £1m worth of net economic impact for the UK economy – or £96,000 per non-EU domiciled student.
Findings from the study will be announced at a live event in London, hosted by HEPI. At the event, it will be shown that international students living in constituencies in Glasgow, Newcastle, Sheffield, Nottingham and London deliver the greatest financial contributions, showcasing the nationwide spread of international students to the country’s economy. On average, international students make a £58 million net economic contribution per constituency, equivalent to approximately £560 per citizen.
In total, 381,000 first year international students enrolled into UK universities in 2021/22, highlighting the global appeal of the country’s higher education institutions and cementing our place as one of the leading destinations for international students. Demonstrating the spread of international students across England, the report shows that 98,825 students studied in London, 31,360 studied in Yorkshire and the Humber, 29,750 in the West Midlands, 27,680 in the Northwest, 24,835 in the East of England, 24,235 in the East Midlands, 18,715 in the Northeast and 19,700 in the Southwest. In relation to the other UK home nations, there were 44,085 international first-year students studying in Scotland, 14,905 in Wales, and 12,615 in Northern Ireland.